Thanks, PhiPsi32, for the input. I am hoping the Barrie will work for me. Your hands-on experience with the various ML shoes/boots is good news as I know the Modified last does work for me. I might take a chance on an ML boot from Moulded. And I am definitely interested in an Indy boot on the Modified last.
I would definitely not wear these boots with a suit. The storm welt and the lighter sole edge dressing makes it too casual, imo. Mostly with jeans and maybe chinos. It doesn't rain much here so I'm usually not too concerned about the soles but these are the waterlock double soles so they should hold up well to some wetness.

What size do you wear?

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiPsi32

I only wish I had discovered the Modified last earlier. Sadly, I had to wait until I could get to NYC for a fitting.

Ordered these yesterday from TSM. They're on the Barrie last. It's my experiment to see if the Barrie last will work for me. I've got a pair of natural CXL boots on the Modified last and they fit me really well. Also have a pair of Indy 405's on the Trubalance which I bought impetuously and they don't fit me well so I'm going to have to unload them. I'm hoping the Barrie will work for me as it seems there is a lot more variety out there to choose from in the Barrie, especially in shell.

I really like how the Modified last fits but am not too crazy about how some of the boots look on that last on the Moulded Shoe site. The cap toes on the ML make the toe cap seem way too small and the boot looks kind of bulbous. For some reason, the suede boots (wingtip and cap toe) on the ML look sleeker and not bulbous as the ones in calf or shell. Go figure.

I'm interested if anyone has gone through a similar experience with these lasts.

Please let me know if these are indeed on the Barrie last. When TheShoeMart updated this listing earlier this year, I inquired specifically about this model and they told me it was on the Hampton last. Looking closely at the pictures on the website, it does look closer to the Barrie last than it does the Hampton last, but it is hard to tell. Can you tell if a shoe is on the Barrie last by model number (39701) alone?

Please let me know if these are indeed on the Barrie last. When TheShoeMart updated this listing earlier this year, I inquired specifically about this model and they told me it was on the Hampton last. Looking closely at the pictures on the website, it does look closer to the Barrie last than it does the Hampton last, but it is hard to tell. Can you tell if a shoe is on the Barrie last by model number (39701) alone?[/quote]

The product description on the TSM website was conflicting with the picture because it described the boot as snuff suede. So I called before ordering and the cs rep assured me that they were on the Barrie last.

Maybe one reason for the confusion is that there is an almost exact pair of boots on the TSM site that is on the Hampton last. But that boot has a pull tab, a flat welt and has speed hooks. I think it was a lighter tan also.

Originally Posted by BootSpell
Ordered these yesterday from TSM. They're on the Barrie last. It's my experiment to see if the Barrie last will work for me. I've got a pair of natural CXL boots on the Modified last and they fit me really well. Also have a pair of Indy 405's on the Trubalance which I bought impetuously and they don't fit me well so I'm going to have to unload them. I'm hoping the Barrie will work for me as it seems there is a lot more variety out there to choose from in the Barrie, especially in shell.
I really like how the Modified last fits but am not too crazy about how some of the boots look on that last on the Moulded Shoe site. The cap toes on the ML make the toe cap seem way too small and the boot looks kind of bulbous. For some reason, the suede boots (wingtip and cap toe) on the ML look sleeker and not bulbous as the ones in calf or shell. Go figure.
I'm interested if anyone has gone through a similar experience with these lasts.

Please let me know if these are indeed on the Barrie last. When TheShoeMart updated this listing earlier this year, I inquired specifically about this model and they told me it was on the Hampton last. Looking closely at the pictures on the website, it does look closer to the Barrie last than it does the Hampton last, but it is hard to tell. Can you tell if a shoe is on the Barrie last by model number (39701) alone?

Yes. When in doubt go to Alden directly with the model number for information/clarification.

I had the chance to try these on at the DC store last week, and they were both very nice. I thought the snuff was better in person than the photos I'd seen. The tan was nice too, but similar to most desert boots I'd seen before. If I had a "regular" pair of desert boots already, then the snuff would be a no-brainer. If not, then either would be very nice. (I have a pair of the "white" camel chukkas by MOTO, so snuff seemed better to me.)

^^ Thanks for the help. Sounds like you liked them, both. Good to hear.

No desert boots, or any suede at all, here. I'd have the MOTO camel chukkas, if my feet weren't so large. At this point, I'm only planning on tan or snuff, no plans for another suede purchase (don't laugh!). Planning on wearing these sockless with shorts a lot during the summer, but also hoping to wear with chinos, denim and the like.

Ordered these yesterday from TSM. They're on the Barrie last. It's my experiment to see if the Barrie last will work for me. I've got a pair of natural CXL boots on the Modified last and they fit me really well. Also have a pair of Indy 405's on the Trubalance which I bought impetuously and they don't fit me well so I'm going to have to unload them. I'm hoping the Barrie will work for me as it seems there is a lot more variety out there to choose from in the Barrie, especially in shell.

I really like how the Modified last fits but am not too crazy about how some of the boots look on that last on the Moulded Shoe site. The cap toes on the ML make the toe cap seem way too small and the boot looks kind of bulbous. For some reason, the suede boots (wingtip and cap toe) on the ML look sleeker and not bulbous as the ones in calf or shell. Go figure.

I'm interested if anyone has gone through a similar experience with these lasts.

I have all three of these in boots. The Modified last, as mentioned earlier, is not nearly as bulbous as a lot of the pics at MS would have it seem. I think the narrow waist on the Modified last can exaggerate the toe from certain angles, but irl its not so obvious. The Trubalance is by far the biggest for my feet. It is much wider than the modified last and I even wear thicker socks with my trubalance boots than the others. The Barrie is like a "mini" trubalance. It has similar proportions, but on a slightly smaller scale. I fit all three in a 9D comfortably, but refer the modified or barrie over the trubalance. I have yet to try the Trubalance in a narrower width or even a full size down (down another .5 size from my Barrie and Modified sizing) so maybe that would make them fit more like the others, but I fear it wouldn't and the boots would just be too tight.

I have all three of these in boots. The Modified last, as mentioned earlier, is not nearly as bulbous as a lot of the pics at MS would have it seem. I think the narrow waist on the Modified last can exaggerate the toe from certain angles, but irl its not so obvious. The Trubalance is by far the biggest for my feet. It is much wider than the modified last and I even wear thicker socks with my trubalance boots than the others. The Barrie is like a "mini" trubalance. It has similar proportions, but on a slightly smaller scale. I fit all three in a 9D comfortably, but refer the modified or barrie over the trubalance. I have yet to try the Trubalance in a narrower width or even a full size down (down another .5 size from my Barrie and Modified sizing) so maybe that would make them fit more like the others, but I fear it wouldn't and the boots would just be too tight.

My experience with these lasts is virtually identical, with the exception of having tried sizing down an additional .5 with TB, which was uncomfortably tight. I haven't tried going down a width, but due to the special order status of most C widths and lack of availability of C width in special makeups, I likely won't be trying this anytime soon. There is some variance in TB across styles; plain toe/cap toe TB is a smidge less roomy and long than its Indy counterpart, which IMO is the longest and widest of any last in the same size. For the record, I prefer modified and Barrie to tb, though this preference is of course almost completely as a consequence of my textbook D width. Limited experience with Leydon (fits well, but few boots on this last), Grant, or Plaza.

They also have an Obscura ripoff on the Hampton that does not have the reverse welt.

Barrie fits narrower than the Trubalance and Modified in the forefoot. Modified has an awesome arch-hugging quality to it. The Barrie has a high instep and wide heel as well, which is everything I don't need. I'm down to having only the LS Pitts in the barrie.